What’s in my camera bag?
My interest in photography has grown since I was young, and as you can imagine, my camera bag has evolved over the years. I am so proud of the minimal kit that I have managed to carefully curate, while always keeping our environment at the front of my mind. Which is tricky to do, photography is definitely a space where more consideration needs to be given to our planet. All of that being said, if you were to stop me in the bush and asked to take a peek, here is what you’ll find me hauling around [photos below, and links provided where possible]…
Please keep in mind that photography is a very expensive endeavor! I consciously put money aside and saved all of my pennies to create this kit that I now have. If you find yourself with questions, please don’t hesitate to comment or flick me a message, I would be happy to provide my experience to see if that might be helpful!
Camera Bodies |
I am incredibly lucky to have two camera bodies in my bag at all times! The Canon R5 and the Canon R6. They complement each other beautifully and in my case, they each serve a different purpose; both brilliant tools! I’ve always used Canon, but when I went to upgrade to mirrorless, I did a lot of shopping around, testing different models, holding them in my hands, before deciding that I still preferred the easy-to-navigate menu, ease of use, eye-tracking feature [for humans and animals] and the colour grading of Canon. So they won me over once again! Which one do I reach for first?
Without a doubt, I reach for the R5 first. It’s what I use for all of my wildlife and birdlife work. It gives me the flexibility for cropping later on! While the R6 comes out for portrait work, landscapes [where I am unlikely to need to crop], and product photography. See? The perfect pairing!
I also, just for fun, have a 35mm film camera that lives in my camera bag! It’s a brilliant little diddy that I added a number of years ago. I’ve always loved working with film , so after a lot of research, I went with the fully manual Nikon FM2. It’s developed so many memories over the years that I truly cherish!
Lenses |
There are three lenses that you’ll find in my bag. The Canon RF 70-200mm f2.8L, RF 100-500mm f4.5-7.1L, and the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L, a brilliant line-up, each of which serve a very different purpose.
The 70-200mm is one of my all-time favourite lenses — crispy images, dreamy bokeh, super speedy! It’s a fantastic, versatile piece of kit, and the first on my camera when it comes to producing self-portraits or product imagery.
Next up, the 100-500mm is my go-to for wildlife images. It gives me such an amazing reach and allows me to keep a safe distance from whatever animals I’m spending time with. It’s quick, sharp, and lightweight [this lens rarely leaves my R5].
Last but not least, the 24-70mm, a great all-rounder. While it’s probably the last to come out of my bag, this lens certainly has its place. Personally, it comes out of my bag mostly for wider landscape images and for creating images of people in nature.
Tripod |
I actually don’t use my tripod a lot, apart from long exposures or when I’m creating video. Regardless, I still wanted to get a tripod that I knew would last, and I searched for a long time before committing. Luckily, right when I was about to make a purchase, Peak Performance announced their Kickstarter for their travel tripod! At this point, the only thing from Peak Performance that I owned was their camera straps, but we’re talking about a B-Corp company, who have proven their dedication to our planet. It was a no-brainer! I’m also happy to announce that after years of use, this tripod is brilliant! It’s lightweight, quick to set up and pack down, slots into the side of my camera bag. It ticks all the boxes!
Cleaning Kit |
After researching my options, I decided to invest in a recycled B-corp-certified, Urth cleaning kit [I have an older model, but this link will take you to their latest which contains all the same things]. It consists of an ultrafine brush, ergonomic blower, plant-based cleaning solution, and a couple of microfibre cleaning cloths, all packaged neatly in a recycled paper travel pouch! Each item is made with natural or recycled materials, and my purchase also planted 5 trees in communities affected by deforestation. It’s been a brilliant piece to add to my kit!
Camera Bag |
When it came time to replace my old camera bag, I was completely overwhelmed by the options out there… In the end, I wound up with a bag by Wandrd. After reading about them and their mission [they own their shit, come with a lifelong warranty, and a commitment to the planet], it seemed like a relationship I was willing to give a go! I opted for the all-new PRVKE 31L bag with a Pro Cube to fit all the goodies! I’ve been using this bag for a couple of years now and it’s wearing so well! I often lay my bag on the ground, on rocks, it’s out in the wet and the sun, and I have been so impressed by how well it’s holding up. Thank you Wandrd, for making a brilliant bag that’s happy to keep up with my adventures!
Spare Parts |
There are a lot of other bits and bobs that finish this kit off --- I used my basic sewing skills to create a little pouch to keep them all safe and organised for when I’m out in about! So, what’s in this nifty little bag? Let’s find out… A 10-stop ND filter, a polarising filter, a step-up ring so that my filters can be placed onto any of my lenses, spare batteries, spare SD cards [I use Sandish Extreme Pro CFexpress cards and Sandisk Extreme SD cards], tools for my tripod, and a bunch of spare cleaning cloths.
I also always keep a few rolls of 35mm film close by. My favourites are Portra 400 and Ilford HP5 Plus 400. In my humble opinion, they are both *chef’s kiss*. Dreamy results, clear pictures [so long as my focus is on point], low grain. It’s good stuff!
Last thing worth mentioning in this category — hard drives! There is no such thing as too many backups in my book. I used a few different varieties… Both the Lacie Rugged range [I use the Mini’s and have a RAID] and I also use Sandisk Extreme Portable SSDs [I love these when traveling or moving around for work, they are incredibly quick and small]!
Well, that ended up being longer than I had anticipated, but hopefully, it covers some of the questions you might have about the gear I use! As mentioned, I am an open book and understand how overwhelming it can be to choose the “right” gear, while also trying to make the best choice for our planet. If you read through it and still find yourself scratching your head, please feel free to get in touch, and we’ll see what we can come up with! Also, I think it’s worth noting that it’s not all about the gear! You truly can make the most with what you have, it will help you grow and learn! Remember, it’s what you do with the tools that you have. Now… Let’s go exploring!
Side note — I have included links wherever I can, but for some reason, they don’t appear to be showing up once I publish this blog. If you can’t see the links and are curious about a specific item feel free to comment below and I will send it to you! Thank you for your understanding…
